News of: Friday, 21st of January, 2011

Front Page

The Supreme Court yesterday decided to form a probe committee on its own to identify corrupt people in the judiciary as it found the recent Transparency International Bangladesh survey report unhelpful.

A tremendous pressure from some repatriated army officers had forced Ziaur Rahman to try and execute Colonel Abu Taher through a military tribunal in 1976, senior BNP leader Moudud Ahmed told the High Court yesterday.

As many as 10 companies yesterday submitted documents to Petrobangla to prequalify for setting up a terminal in the Bay to facilitate import of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) containers from the Middle East to ease the country's gas crisis in next two years.

Editorial

Relentless fall of stock prices in the share market for the second week in a row has driven the investors so panicky that they have been resorting to violence and rowdy behaviour on the street. The automatic circuit-breaker introduced by the regulatory body, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to put a lid on the volatile stock market, too, could not pacify the angry investors. While on Wednesday the street violence was concentrated in the Motijheel area, on Thursday it spread to Dhanmodi and Mirpur s in the city as well as in Chittagong and Rajshahi engaging the police in a pitched battle with the investors as they started to ransack roadside shops, break vehicles, set fire to stacks of paper and block the main highway for hours.

Official results of the referendum in South Sudan will not be in for quite a while. However, vote counting at a preliminary level so far indicates that the people of the region have opted overwhelmingly in favour of breaking away from the north of the country and forming an independent state for themselves. The results, which Sudanese leader Omar el Bashir has promised to respect and which the international community means to see implemented, will bring to an end more than twenty years of a conflict dominated by a civil war. It will then be the responsibility of the South Sudan leadership to steer their new state, with a predominantly Christian and animist population, to stability and, most importantly, to peaceful co-existence with what remains of Sudan in the north.

Sports

Hartals have almost exclusively been associated with political parties wanting to prove a political point. Over time, what was originally an expression of dissent by ordinary people against injustice has been twisted into an exercise to serve the narrow interests of the powers-that-were.

Rajin Saleh, an often underrated but valuable member of the Bangladesh team, was unlucky not to play a match in the 2007 World Cup. In a chat To The Daily Star Sport, he relives his memories of the historic event.

Despite the fact that there is still more than seven weeks to go until the mid-term players' window for the Bangladesh League, title contenders Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club are all set to bring seven more foreign recruits for test before signing them for the second-leg of the ongoing professional football league.

Having gained a 2-1 lead after registering back-to-back victories in the last two games against the Proteas, India go into the fourth one-dayer here on Friday seeking to clinch their first-ever ODI series triumph on South African soil.

World number one Rafael Nadal stepped up his bid for a fourth straight Grand Slam title with a crushing win, as leading seeds Andy Murray and Robin Soderling had trouble-free passage at the Australian Open Thursday.

Nearly 300 trucks carrying Bangladeshi jute goods to India had to come back from Benapole after the Indian customs authorities abruptly imposed 14 percent duties on products from natural fibre, officials and traders said.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc unveiled a plan to promote healthier and more affordable foods at its stores, a move supported by US first lady Michelle Obama and one that could push food companies to overhaul some products.

The world is suffering from "global burnout syndrome" and is too weak to tackle the web of interrelated threats facing businesses and governments, the head of the World Economic Forum said on Wednesday.

Awami League (AL) Presidium Member Obaidul Quader yesterday said a comprehensive decision must be taken in a planned way over stock market to save thousands of small investors who have lost their capital.

Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (Bela) yesterday served legal notices on two ministries and several other government offices demanding preservation of Dhanmondi Lake and keeping the environment of Dhanmondi residential areas free from pollutions.

Nirapad Development Foundation (NDF), an environmental organisation, yesterday criticised felling of trees surrounding the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium at Mirpur in the name of beautification ahead of the World Cup Cricket.

The High Court yesterday directed the government to submit a report on the steps that the government has taken over the torture of and violence against minority people of Shailkupa in Jhenidah district to this court by January 26.

Speakers at a workshop said mainstreaming nutrition in the health services is essential to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. They said malnutrition continues to be a pervasive problem in the country.

A team of commerce ministry officials in a drive yesterday fined 15 shops and a restaurant of DCC Market at Gulshan-2 in the city Tk 1.88 lakh on charges of selling packaged products on which cover retail prices were not given and, preparing and preserving foods in unhygienic way.

Members of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) yesterday arrested 26 Myanmar citizens for illegally entering the country through Shahporir island under Teknaf upazila. Later, the arrestees were handed over to Teknaf police. Officer-in-charge Abul Hossain of Teknaf police station said, a case has been lodged against the Myanmar nationals for illegally entering the country.

Police on Wednesday night recovered body of an unidentified youth aged about 28 from Haibatpur Gajirmil Beel area under Natore Sadar upazila. Sub-inspector Moazzem Hossain of Jhalmolia highway police camp said, a police patrol team found the body on Natore-Dhaka highway at about 2:00am on Wednesday night. However, identity of the deceased could not be known, he said. Later, police sent the body to Natore Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy at about 10:00am yesterday.

Bangladeh Patho Natya Parishad will stage a street drama at Ambika Maidan of the town at 6:00pm today. The programme has been organised marking the 20th anniversary of The Daily Star, the largest circulated English daily of the country. Boishaki Natya Gosthi of Faridpur will stage "Jadu," to be directed by Al Hamim while Kheyali Natya Sampraday, also of Faridpur will stage Bibishab, to be directed by Alam Khan. Language veteran and drama personality Dr Noni Gopal Saha will inaugurate the progrmme while freedom fighter Abul Fayez Shah Newaz, president of Faridpur Sahitya O Sangskiti Unnayan Sangstha and Abu Sufian Chowdhury Kushol will attend the function as special guests. Prominent dramatist Munshi Muhammad Ali Rumi , secretary of Sammilito Sangskritik Jote of Faridpur will chair the occasion.

A robber was beaten to death by mob and at least 15 workers were injured during a robbery at a textile mill in Araihazar upazila early Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Rashid. Police and locals said, a gang of about 50 to 60 robbers entered into a textile mill owned by Azizul Islam at Krishnachura village by breaking the mill's boundary wall at about 2:30am. Then the robbers fastened the hands and legs of 50 workers and looted Tk 3 lakh cash and 45 mobile sets on gunpoint. The robbers also attacked and injured at least 15 workers of the mill. Hearing the hue and cry of workers, locals and police rushed to the spot and chased the robbers. At one stage, they managed to catch two robbers and gave them a good beating leaving one of them dead on the spot and injuring the other one. Meanwhile, police arrested four robbers and recovered a loaded pistol and sharp weapons from Chhonpara under Araihazar upazila on Tuesday night. The arrestees were identified as Ashik Khondokar, 22, Nur-e-Alam, 25, Arman, 25, and Younus, 22.

Two armed muggers snatched away Tk 2.2 lakh from a medicine company at Jagodhattri para of the district town in broad daylight yesterday afternoon. Company representative Torun Kanti Roy said, the incident occurred when two armed muggers intercepted Rejaul Haq, a deliveryman of Drug International and snatched Tk 2.2 lakh from his possession while he was taking the money to deposit at Pubali Bank of the town.

A three-day 4th International Seminar on Development of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Asia and Africa began at the community centre of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) yesterday. The seminar was jointly organised by IPM Lab of the Department of Plant Pathology of BAU and Niigata University, Japan. Dean of Agriculture Faculty Prof Dr M A Karim was present as chief guest while Prof Dr K Okazaki of Niigata University, CASR coordinator Prof Dr Md Golam Shahi Alam, director of BAU Research System Prof Dr Ali Akbar were present as special guests at the inaugural session. IPM in Asia and Africa chairman Prof Dr Hidetaka Hori presided. Two hundred scientists and researchers from Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, India and Bangladesh participated.

Bangladesh Railway yesterday distributed warm clothes among the cold-hit ultra poor people at Lalmonirhat railway station. Lalmonirhat railway divisional manager Kazi Rafiqul Alam distributed 1,000 pieces of blankets among the cold victims on behalf the general manager (GM) of West Zone Railway. Other officials of Bangladesh Railway were also present.

A housewife commited suicide early yesterday taking insecticides following a family feud. The victim is Nurbanu, 42, wife of Daud Hossain of Subitpur village under Kaliganj upazila. Officer- in-charge (OC) Faruk Hossain of Kaliganj police station said, Nurbanu took poison on Wednesday night at around 8:30 pm and she died in the early hours of yesterday at Kaliganj Upazila Health Complex. The body was sent to Jhenidah Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Letters

I am not writing this to spark a debate on our newly proposed education policy, rather to look at the recently introduced JSC examination system which provides scholarships to students who excel in these exams. A nagging question remains as to how these students are up to the mark on an international standard given the quality of our education assessment system, where memorizing gets the prominence and the chance to explore, nurture and flourish new ideas, learning topics in an interactive way are aspects our policymakers are yet to take account of.

It is a matter of great regret that heritage sites of our country are not getting due importance. These are left unprotected, and without proper care and maintenance these will become heaps of ruins one day.

I know many people who completely agree with the comments made by Lt Col (Retd) Akbar Hussain in a daily recently. My New Year wish is that both leaders and their subordinates act in the better interests of Bangladesh and less for themselves. Listing the achievements of 2010, the writer gives special mention to the Bangladesh cricket team for their inspiring win, Musa Ibrahim for his phenomenal conquest of Mount Everest and Sir Frank Peters for his role in abolishing corporal punishment from our schools.

Every so often, we come across articles in your esteemed newspaper on migratory birds. In most cases, the photographs shown with the articles are those of the whistling teal (sharali). However, it should be made absolutely clear that the whistling teal is not a migratory bird, as claimed by most writers, but a local one. It is a bird generally found in the haor areas of Sylhet and other wetlands spread over Bangladesh. It is chestnut coloured and constantly makes shrill whistling notes when in flight. It lives on marshland, is largely vegetarian, but also eats small fish and snails. Nesting time is from June to October, mostly done on trees with twigs and grass. I hope The Daily Star will be a little more careful in the future.

At a time when things are going from bad to worse in Afghanistan, Nato is preparing its exit strategy from there. Only last month, in his recent interview, former Soviet Union President Gorbachev said that victory in Afghanistan is an uphill task. He warned that due to geographical difficulties and very different cultural values, victory is not possible in Afghanistan.

Distribution of free textbooks to school students is a significant accomplishment of the government. This will obviously encourage the parents to send their wards to school and the students to pursue education with more devotion and concentration to studies.

As per the study of Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 133 persons were killed in 'crossfire' by the law enforcers, while another 128 died in mob beating in the country last year. Mob beating is a dangerous trend. I think it occurs due to lack of public belief in existing law. No civilised society or sane person can accept these killings.

West African armies are ready to intervene in the Ivory Coast, where Laurent Gbagbo has refused to give up the presidency, and only need the political nod to go ahead, a Nigerian general said yesterday.

The visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao to the United States yesterday was widely reported by the state media in china, but his comments on China's beleaguered human rights situation got scant mention.

Arts & Entertainment

What of the photograph made out of nothing? What about painting with light? Is it photography? Surely if we can paint with light we can paint with dreams, create the morning mist or the afternoon glow. Is it fake? Hardly. Whatever else may be false in this tenuous existence of ours, imagination is not. All that we value, that we strive to uphold, all that gives us strength, has been made of dreams, and we must dream on. If pixels be the vehicle that realises our dreams, be it so.-- Pedro Meyer, celebrated Mexican photographer

Salauddin Lavlu, who started off as an actor, is now one of the A-list TV serial directors. His "Rong-er Manush" was one of the most watched TV shows of recent times. "Mollah Barir Bou", Lavlu's debut feature film, also enjoyed mass popularity. Lavlu was the guest celebrity at DS Café recently and fans had opportunity to speak to him over the phone.

Bob Dylan has signed a six-book deal with Simon & Schuster, according to Crain's New York Business, encompassing two sequels to his acclaimed 2004 book Chronicles: Volume One as well as another book based on dialogue from his Sirius/XM radio show Theme Time Radio Hour.

OP-ED

Najibullah of Afghanistan must have died the most gruesome death amongst the toppled rulers of the world. He and his brother were beaten, castrated, dragged behind a jeep and then shot by the Taliban before their battered bodies were hung from a post by a steel noose in the centre of Kabul.

Local government has been playing a crucial role in the practice of democratic ideas and ideals. Local government is considered as an essential condition for sound health of national democracy. It promotes the political education towards internalisation of democratic norms and values.

While speaking as chief guest at a book launching ceremony at the Institute of Judicial Administration and Training in the capital on January 15, Chief Justice A.B.M. Khairul Haque said that a five-member committee comprised of senior judges of the High Court had been formed to identify corrupt people in the judiciary on the basis of the graft report of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).

If investors were as visionary as Steve Jobs has proved to be during his 35 years of tech wizardry, they might be able to figure out whether Apple can still thrive if its founder and CEO doesn't return from his indefinite medical leave.